After ten months of the pandemic, life is gradually limping back to normalcy. Buses are plying, trains are running, domestic planes are flying, and people are talking as usual in the market places (often without masks).
Only children are not playing anymore and sadly nobody seems to be concerned. But adults are not attending Church services even to the extent permitted, with a few exceptions. While the restrictions on senior citizens and children must remain in place till the end of the pandemic, the others must be nudged to physically attend church services, or the practice of physical attendance may fall into disuse.
Churches are much safer places than buses, trains, planes or markets. But people seem to be taking the easy way out by attending online services. It has been observed that senior citizens form the majority of people physically attending mass on weekdays. This is a worrisome trend.
The time has come to gradually withdraw the option of online masses for the youth and young adults, else they may never return to church, as in the west.
Parish youth activities need to be stepped up to encourage them to return to the church. We are in real danger of losing an entire generation of parishioners.
